


Reuniting Old Friends

by MMPRPink



Series: There Will Be No Hero in the End, Who Will Rise Above [6]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Best Friends, Galaxy-38, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Just pure feels, Multiverse, Post-Order 66, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Survivor Guilt, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 06:24:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18888979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MMPRPink/pseuds/MMPRPink
Summary: The Galactic Empire  has been in control for fourteen years. Now, The Ghost Crew have been sent on a mission by Fulcrum herself to find an old friend. Can this friend be trusted?





	Reuniting Old Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies about the long wait to get a story out, I've been working on this for quite a while and my outside life is keeping me busy. Anyways, major time jump, at this stage, you know I don't do chronological order exactly. Rebels has always been a finicky one for me, so I hope I did the characters of that justice.
> 
> I changed things around in this AU of The Lost Commanders, so there will be differences. They are there with reason, I wouldn't change something unless it actually works to fit the story. If you're looking for action, sadly there is none, this is a somewhat calm fic; however, I am delving into missed oppurtunities that Filoni could have explored if Rebels was not restricted to being a children's show. I am openly exploring the aftermath of Order Sixty-six and how the Empire affected everyone and it will affect everyone differently. This is my exploration, some form of realism.
> 
> There are one or two things concerning changes for this galaxy that I am NOT sorry for, so be warned as you read. I'm not saying any more!
> 
> Note: I don't own either of the songs/song lyrics used in this. 'You Are My Sunshine' belongs to Johnny Cash and the version of 'Hold On (Just a Little While Longer)' used is from the video game 'Detroit: Become Human'. Recommend it by the way, you will cry by your own choices.
> 
> Enjoy!

_"It's an insane world but in it, there is one sanity, the loyalty of old friends."_

\- Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston); _Ben-Hur_ (1959)

* * *

Legend:

_ Underline/Italics: Time, Year & Scene change _

_Italics: Thoughts/Words from other characters/Communication via transmissions, devices and Force Bonds_

**Bold: Flashbacks/Dreams/Nightmares**

**_Bold/Italics: Voices from Force Ghosts/Visions_ **

* * *

_ Year: 5 BBY… _

Canon: The Lost Commanders; _Star Wars Rebels_

( _Scene: Salt Plains, Seelos, Outer Rim, Galaxy-38_ )

_"When you find my friend, please, you must trust him."_

The words belonging to the rebel informant codenamed Fulcrum echoed young Ezra Bridger's ears. Honestly, he could not believe his life spiralled so quickly, he went from being a fourteen-year-old street rat to a member of the secret Rebel Alliance and is now a Padawan to Kanan Jarrus, a survivor of Order Sixty-six, infamously known as The Great Jedi Purge. Ezra wasn't born yet when that event occurred, Kanan is reluctant to speak about it, his real name is Caleb Dume, he lost his Master when their troops: Clones turned on them. The purge brought the end of the Jedi Order, the temple they used to live in is now made a palace for the Emperor, it became a mass grave, made by the turncoat who slaughtered everyone inside; not even the Younglings were spared. The battalion of Clones who were led by the said turncoat was not identified, but Kanan heard whispered rumours that it was The 332nd Battalion. At the side, Kanan was sitting in the co-pilot seat next to Hera Syndulla, a Twi'lek Captain of the Ryloth rebels, he was in deep thought. Born in 33 BBY, which Ezra interestingly converted to 3244 Lothal Year (LY), it still confuses him, so Kanan sticks to the standard BBY year, to think he is twenty-eight years old. His thoughts go back to Master Billaba, it was 19 BBY when she chose him to be her Padawan Learner, the happiest day of his life, he was only eleven when The Clone Wars broke out and fourteen when the infamous Order Sixty-six broke out, by order of the Chancellor, now Emperor himself. He watched with horror when their battalion turned on them without warning, calling them traitors of the Galactic Republic and to be shot down without mercy. He and his Master did their level best to hold off their own troops, Kanan had to kill Soot (Designation number unknown) and Big-Mouth (Designation number unknown), watched his Master kill Kaylon (Designation number unknown), Remo (Designation number unknown) and Mixx (Designation number unknown), and her last words to him rung through his head, the last thing she said to him before the rest of the battalion cut her down:

 _"You must run. Go! I'll be right behind you."_ She lied to him, like many countless Jedi, she fell to the Clones. Kanan spent days after that, sneaking around Clone Trooper patrols, evading them, unable to sleep in fear of being caught; he managed to sneak onto a transport that sent him to Plateau City. By the time he got there, he was a wanted fugitive, there were holo-images of him and other Jedi everywhere; the former Padawan had no credits, like Ezra to a degree, he knows the feeling of going around the city like a street rat, forced to search dumpsters for any scraps of food. It was a dog's life. Ezra knew not to probe his Master on his past, it's practically a no-no and keeps it pretty tight-lipped, even Hera doesn't bring it up and she was the first person to meet him, running into each other on the planet of Gorse. The green-skinned Twi'lek kept her eye on the radar, according to Fulcrum, her informant is living on some modified vehicle, but the thing is: they don't know what kind of vehicle or transport they're looking for and who this mysterious contact. After losing the rebel base on Lothal, Ezra's home planet, apparently this person knows base locations that the rebels could use and the Empire won't have a nose at. What makes Kanan uncomfortable about this unknown contact is the fact Fulcrum told them to trust him, there was something fishy and he couldn't place his finger on why the Force wasn't much help either. Suddenly, everyone jumped when the radar pinged, which meant movement on the ground. Ezra and Sabine looked out the window, their eyes widening at what they both saw, the young Lothian was mesmerised because he never saw such a thing, but this transport vehicle was something Sabine and Kanan, who was silently scowling, recognised. Sabine hadn't seen these since they were decommissioned, or even since stumbling upon a destroyed one on Mandalore when she was ten. The Mandalorian warrior was only two-years-old when The Siege of Mandalore started, the planet was under the disastrous and messy rule of Maul, a former Sith, who became the leader of Death Watch after killing Pre Vizla. The siege to remove Maul from the throne was led by the combined effort of The Nite Owl elite, a former Jedi and an unofficial regiment known as The 3rd Ranger Battalion.

"It's an AT-TE!" Exclaimed the Mandalorian. Clearly, the said AT-TE (All Terrain Tactical Enforcer) was heavily modified, intended for long-term living, which begged the question: who or what is living in that old Clone Wars era vehicle? Hera tipped the steering stick to bring _The Phantom_ down a little closer to the carrier, in which the occupant brought it to a halt. It must be a sign that they either want to talk or preparing to arm themselves in case they feel they are being attacked. Kanan's stomach was knots, he had a bad feeling about this as Order Sixty-six surged through his mind, bringing back unwanted memories; but for all he knows, praying to the Force for his sanity, it could be just a random stranger that Fulcrum met and he or she, managed to steal an AT-TE and somehow brought it here. It could not be easy to smuggle a carrier that size to another planet. The Twi'lek Captain noted the war carrier stopped moving, so she decided to land the ship just behind it and opened the hatch. Following Kanan, as the leader of The Ghost Crew, bearing the codename Spectre One, he exited the ship with Ezra behind him, along with Sabine, Zeb and Hera herself; Chopper (C1-10P), the grouchy astromech chose to stay with the ship. That was fine by him, Chopper can get the ship up in the air if things to kriffing Sith Hell. Standing below the AT-TE, which looked much bigger now they're on ground level, the door opened and someone stepped out. The unidentified owner of the carrier walked out with his hands behind his back, displaying an air of authority, his back stiff and straight. While it is hard to tell, the male was tall, aged roughly to be in his sixties though looking extremely fit and was wearing some kind of armour painted orange in some places, with a black shirt underneath; probably to keep the armour from rubbing against his skin. He also carried a pair of blaster pistols settled on the hip, in the black coloured holsters. Another feature to note, other than his medium-length grey hair tied back in a bun and his gold-brown eyes staring back at them, Kanan saw a scar at the side of his head, where a patch of hair did not grow. The unnamed man was shortly joined by two other men, looking suspiciously similar to each other, though one had a ghostly white eye; he either lost his eye or was blinded, but the former Padawan of the old Jedi Order couldn't place why. They could be triplets for all he knows. Neither side unsure of who to speak first, Ezra, being a little too trusting and open, opted to break the ice.

"Um… hi." He greeted nervously, "We're uh… looking for someone?" Ezra's sentence came out more like a question, as Kanan and the rest of Ghost Crew fought back a groan or facepalm. The armoured man answered back, but there was a hint of humour in his tone, joking almost as if he is stating the obvious.

"Well, you found someone. What do you want?",

"You… you see, the person we're looking for goes by the name CT-4056." Ezra replied, "Ring any bells?" There was a look on the grey-haired man's face as if he is thinking.

"I don't think so." Kanan frowned, this person seems to be mocking them. "Must be my birth date." The ' _name_ ' ran through Kanan's head. CT-4056. CT-4056. CT-4056. Why does that sound familiar? Then another memory of his past hit him. When Big-Mouth and Soot turned on him and his Master when Commander Grey (CC-10/994) gave those two the order to kill him. He called them by their numbers, not their names and it all clicked, Kanan figured out who Fulcrum's contact is, who carries the information needed on-base locations and his face shifted, becoming tense. Hera was eyeing Kanan carefully, she saw him become tense, then for a split second, one would miss it if they didn't look hard enough; but she swore his eyes flashed gold and before she could stop him, he stomped forward unclipping his lightsaber. Of all stupid things, he could do.

"I know what you are! They're Clones!" He snarled, activating his lightsaber, revealing its blue blade. Out of combat instinct, one of the other Clones took out his weapon, a DC-15A Blaster Rifle, screaming:

"IT'S THE JEDI! THEY HAVE COME FOR REVENGE!" And fired three shots at Kanan, who deflected the bolts easily, before CT-4056 stopped him, placing his hand on the barrel, forcing it down.

"Hold your fire!" He ordered, the Clone who fired was about to protest, but 4056 repeated his command. "I said: hold. Your. Fire!" Huffing, the Clone lowered his weapon. "Sorry about that, weapon malfunction." Kanan snorted, that has got to be the worst lie CT-4056 could come up with, to defend the other Clone who shot at him. He was about to open his mouth but Ezra intervened, knowing things are going to escalate the wrong way if the wrong statement is said. He had a plan, a risky one to gain their trust, to Kanan's dismay, the Lothian could feel his Master's anger through the Force and not just anger, grief, pain. It surfaced so suddenly he had to shield himself from the onslaught of these raw emotions, he wondered what occurred that Kanan has a dislike towards Clones; his Master was around during The Clone Wars, shouldn't he be comfortable around them?

"A friend of yours sent us here. She said you can help." Spoke Ezra, keeping his voice level. "She goes by the name Fulcrum, but you might know her under her real name. Does Katooni mean anything to you?",

"EZRA!" Scolded Kanan, seeing that his Padawan is jeopardising their friend's safety as a spy, a Fulcrum agent and the first. What if they relay that information back to the Empire? The Emperor… well… not the Emperor himself, but the Imperial counterpart of the Fulcrum Network: The ISB (Imperial Security Bureau) High Command!? Ezra practically put Katooni's life in danger once again. However, CT-4056's face softened, as if he is looking back on the past and stance loosened.

"Katooni? Commander Katooni." He muttered inaudibly, then turning back to Ezra, opening up to him. "Katooni was my Jedi Commander. I met her at the start of the war, fought by her side through thick and thin, right through from The Battle of Christophsis up to The Siege of Mandalore. She's still alive.",

"Of course." The Padawan agreed. "She's one of the first and best rebel Fulcrum agents." CT-4056 chuckled, shaking his head.

"That kid doesn't know when to take a break. I'm glad she's fighting for the rebellion, for what's right." The Clone decided to introduce his comrades, his brothers-in-arms. "Allow me to introduce my brothers," He pointed to the Clone to his left. "This is ARC (Advanced Recon Commandos) Trooper Bomber (CT/ARC-1629) and Commander Wolffe (CC-3636)." The two Clones waved, now smiling at them.

"Nice meeting you guys, including you CT-4056.",

"Slip." CT-4056 corrected, "My name is Slip. Captain Slip at your service." And Slip smiled warmly at them. Any friend of his former Commander is a friend to him.

Wolffe lowered the ramp to allow The Ghost Crew inside their home, he was eyeing the Jedi who bared his lightsaber at them. The old, gruff Commander of Wolfpack Squadron of The 104th can't blame the kid, Order Sixty-six left its scars on each of them, affecting them differently, so his distrust is with reason. Bomber was with Slip when Deadshot's (CT-9350) biochip malfunctioned, activating the order and shot General Tiplar on Ringo Vinda. The 332nd was providing aid alongside Tiplar's and Tiplee's battalion, with General Skywalker and The 501st. Jester (CT-4984) was shot by Commander Fox (CC-1010) when he uncovered a conspiracy, a conspiracy which was true. Despite his namesake, Jester wasn't fooling around and the only people who his warning was Slip himself, Rex (CT-7567) and Wolffe too, once reasoned with. Wolffe doesn't know what happened to Rex, he knows the Captain removed his biochip after being persuaded and believing about the order to kill the Jedi, the Generals, Commanders and kriff, even Younglings, children! Rex was last seen with General Skywalker on Utapau to capture or kill General Grievous. There was no word about General Kenobi either, he was with Katooni on Mandalore aiding the siege. Slip and Bomber knew what happened to Kenobi, but they couldn't bring themselves to tell Wolffe, because it traumatised them so bad. Neither Wolffe nor Bomber can't speak for the rest of their brothers, Slip and Bomber lost the rest of Akul Squadron, either they died during the purge or serving the Empire because they have no choice. During the fourteen on this planet, making a living hunting Joopa, not the most exciting retirement, which Slip sees as an exile, but so far, they have avoided the Empire, dodging conscription and the civil war. Slip did have his days with depression, they all did, nightmares, Survivor's Guilt, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and all that; he missed the days joking with Commander Katooni, trying to keep his sanity in check under General Tano, who bravely died inside the Jedi Temple defending the Younglings from a Sith. The former Captain, who was given the title as unofficial Commander during The Siege of Mandalore, still holds the photo of the squad with the General and Commander, Wolffe has seen it, they all looked so happy together, even during the hard and testing times of the war. They were aliit.

Inside the AT-TE, cramped space aside, it was actually pretty cosy, though it was clear the consoles for the weaponry were left alone, particularly for the primary cannon and to control the carrier. The weapons are there as self-defence or towards others, a warning to keep away, that the occupants are not to be underestimated, it isn't a joke as the occupants inside are three Clone Wars veterans who saw to the end of the war; and somehow managed to avoid following the devastating Order Sixty-six that haunts survivors in different ways. Kanan was keeping a close eye on the Clones for anything suspicious, he wasn't comfortable that they were armed with fully functional DC-17s, each of them carrying a pair and who knows what other Clone Wars era weaponry or weapons cache they have stored in the back; other than food and water supplies. Ezra began talking to Slip, who wore the orange painted armour, it was a deeper shade compared to Kenobi's 212th Attack Battalion, the twenty-eight-year-old also could not place which battalion Wolffe is from, other than Slip and Bomber were under Katooni's command, but he can't remember their Legion. That was when his eyes fell on a Phase Two Clone Trooper helmet that belonged to Bomber, it was painted the same shade of orange, but had odd symbols on the top of the helmet. Lines that extended at ninety-degree angles on either side, like someone cut a square in half diagonally, before resting straight along the visor; and above the angled lines were two white diamonds. The markings must represent something or someone, only then he managed to put two and two together, but it was Hera who beat him to it when she also recognised the helmet's markings.

"No way! Bomber and Slip, you served under The Huntress!? I remember those markings." Slip gave Hera a little smile,

"You were only a wee child during The Liberty of Ryloth. I'm guessing your father, Mr Syndulla is still a revolutionist then.",

"I was eight Captain and of course, I remember." Hera returned a smirk to the old Captain, putting her hand on her hip. "Yes, he is fighting against the Empire. My father, Cham Syndulla is the General of the Ryloth Rebel Cell." Ezra was a little confused, he wasn't around during The Clone Wars, it's practically history lessons now.

"Hold on! Who's this… Huntress, you two are talking about?" That was when Slip's and Bomber's face saddened, even Wolffe's. Wolffe knew General Plo had an attachment towards General Tano, in a fatherly kind of way or something. He loved her as if she was his own child, but he figured the attachment was stronger with General Skywalker and General Kenobi was like an uncle or grandfather to her. The former Commander of Wolfpack Squadron only heard bits and pieces of the Togruta's past and all he got that it was tragic, whispers about it spread around his battalion and not just his, it spread to The 501st Legion and 212th. Slip sighed, his hand running over the marking painted on his chest plate, positioned to the right, his General's facial markings encased in an orange circle, it looked recently done; perhaps one or two weeks ago.

"Knight Tano was our Jedi General. I didn't know what to expect when I was told she personally wanted to work with me and The 332nd. That was shortly after The First Battle of Geonosis." He let out a gruff laugh, "She proved herself to us, immediately respected us as men, Tano cared about us, wanted to know us as individual humans, equals and not flesh droids.",

"She sounds like an amazing person." Ezra said with awe, he likes it when he hears tales about the Old Republic. He was born when the Galactic Empire rose and came into power, lost his parents because they spoke out against the regime; it was a warning to his people: be silent and obey, speak out and you shall die. This is why he joined The Ghost Crew, the rebellion, not just to end the Empire and help reestablish the Republic, a more just and fairer system, democracy, not just to become a Jedi like Kanan; but in honour of his parents.

"General Tano was brave, selfless, crazy and reckless, but she rarely lost a battle. I hope she's at peace though. I heard she lost her life defending the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, killed by the hand of Darth Véurr.",

"Véurr?" Kanan questioned, "We actually had a run-in with her, during The Siege of Lothal. We were escaping.",

"You were lucky to get away unscathed." Bomber said to him in a rough voice, clearly still angry that the Sith killed his respected General. "The Emperor's right hand, his attack dog is unforgiving and brutal. I heard she destroyed Am'balaar City of Al'doleem and massacred Zyggeria five years ago, along with Raada which was only last year. Hundreds of thousands dead by her hand, she's a monster!" The veteran ARC Trooper slammed his fist on the console, learning about General Tano's death was hard and now, Véurr mars what The 332nd once stood for, the battalion has now become a bunch of murderers. Word spread it that said battalion that assaulted the temple, he doesn't know what the other Jedi, if any survived believed; but the ARC Trooper knows it was certainly the other half of The 332nd. Bomber was with Slip on Mandalore, Tano decided to give… no, gifted Commander Katooni half of her battalion; the other half of the legion and Akul Squadron stayed with her when she got the call that the Supreme Chancellor was kidnapped and had to rescue him with General Skywalker. Because General Kenobi was not required for the mission, he stayed with Katooni, so she had the support of The 212th. The siege had succeeded, Maul was held by a ray shield, Kenobi decided not to face his nemesis and let his Great Grand Padawan fight him; he figured it would take the Zabrak by surprise, as he was expecting a rival that he held a grudge against for thirteen years. Then… that when everything went to Sith Hell, Commander Cody (CC-2224) got the call from Palpatine and even Slip, they were told to execute Order Sixty-six; Cody obeyed without question as he didn't remove his biochip, but himself and Slip did. It was Slip who told Katooni and Obi-wan to run as their own brothers fired upon their Jedi Generals, but it was too late for Obi-wan, Cody was standing too close to him and he was the first Jedi he shot dead, a single plasma bolt to his heart and Kenobi dropped dead. He, Slip and Katooni ran for their lives, the Mandalorians: The Nite Owl unit, a subdivision of Death Watch who separated themselves from Maul's Shadow Collective, aided their escape, holding back the Clones and the Zabrak escaped during the chaos. In order to go off the radar, the three of them opted to fake their deaths, shedding their armour and putting them on a pair of dead Clones, as Katooni buried the lightsabers Tano gave to her. The sabre hilts were unchanged, but the Kyber Crystals were, the two blades were green and not blue, Bomber saw in her eyes his Commander did not want to part with them, they were the last gift from her former Master, but she had to make her death look official on the unmarked grave. He wonders are the sabres still there, untouched, a pair of blades with hidden history or have they been dug up and sold on the Black Market to some sleemo bounty hunter to be violated and misused.

"Calm yourself, ner vod." Wolffe said in a soft tone to Bomber. "We all miss her, but think about it, General Tano is one with the Force.",

 _"There is no death, only the Force."_ Kanan recited in his head, the last line in the Jedi Code, part of which he had forsaken, except for this line. He hadn't met Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano himself, but he heard stories through Katooni she wasn't on missions. Kanan learned from other Padawans, even from his own Master that Ahsoka was a unique case within the temple, she was permitted entry at a later age than normal; Ahsoka was eight when she came and was Skywalker's Padawan for nine years. The mission report he wrote up was put under lock and key, the toughest security that the Jedi had, Tano arrived long before he was brought in during the year 30 BBY. Kanan heard many great stories about the Togruta from his friend, who was her Padawan, assigned at the start of the war. To think one of the greatest Jedi Knights in the history of the Jedi Order has died, at least she is at peace in the Force, no doubt Katooni is mourning, but doesn't show it; she's become good at hiding things, her emotions, her past, especially after leaving the Order. Katooni and Ahsoka had an informal Master-Padawan bond, they were close, attached, Knight Tano encouraged Katooni to show emotion. When she was falsely accused of murder and terrorism, a crime she did not commit, Knight Tano was relentless in searching for the true culprit; Kanan figured Tano had an overprotective streak a mile wide, particularly when it comes to those she cares about and Katooni is one of them. Hearing from Master Billaba, he learned Tano became heartbroken when Katooni chose to leave the Order and it was when the Togruta changed. She became more distrustful of the High Jedi Council, lashed out when the wrong question was asked or someone crossed the wrong line, spent more time with her battalion in order to help them cope with the loss of their Jedi Commander. She refused at any mention or suggestion to take on another Padawan Learner, refused even when Younglings approached her; sometimes Ahsoka was hostile towards them. In the Togruta's perspective, no one would have been able to replace Katooni, the Tholothian was her first and last Padawan. Following that, rumours spread that she often left the temple grounds at night to get drunk in the Underworld in the dingy bars, apparently, Skywalker and Kenobi went down to drag her back up to The Surface as she drunkenly yelled accusations and blasphemed about the Jedi. The former Padawan couldn't imagine Ahsoka being the type to get drunk on booze, yet given the things she went through in her life, Katooni's trial and being close to false execution could have sent her over the edge, even to the Dark Side. In the end, it took Master Skywalker to snap her out of her brooding and moping. A majority of the Council members, bar Obi-wan, Anakin, Plo Koon and Shaak Ti, treated her like a wild card, the black sheep or the bad apple, why? Because she was different, she wasn't as ' _brainwashed_ ' as the other Jedi, Ahsoka even made a name for herself within the temple for being the first person to tip Grand Master Yoda's legendary patience after she challenged him with a plethora of questions on the faults, wrongs and hypocrisy of the Jedi Order.

"Well," Voiced Slip, breaking Kanan from his inner thoughts, "What is it that you came for?" Kanan was glad they were getting down to business, he couldn't stand being in the presence of Clones any further, not after they betrayed him, killed his Master and attempted to hunt him down.

"Fulcrum told us you had locations of bases the Rebel Alliance could use. Do you have them?" Sabine stated,

"Yes, I have them on a hard drive, along with some useful Imperial codes. You never know when you might need them to get behind enemy lines.",

"Great. Then we'll be on our way. Mission accomplished." And Kanan briskly walked out of the AT-TE resting area. Ezra was looking at his Master hard, he didn't like his attitude towards Slip, Bomber and Wolffe, who are lifelong, old friends of Katooni's; she would shake her head in disappointment at Kanan's behaviour. He then decided to go after the twenty-eight-year-old former Padawan, as the others stayed put. As he ran out after Kanan, Bomber was giving Zeb, a Lasat some sneaky glances, which made the furry alien uncomfortable.

"What!?",

"You are coming with me to hunt Joopas." He grabbed a confused Zeb's hand and the two made their way out.

_ With Kanan and Ezra… _

Kanan stood outside of the AT-TE, breathing in the air which smelled and taste salty from the plains they cross. Memories of the war flooded his mind, being on this AT-TE brought back uncomfortable ones too and now, his Master isn't there to comfort or console him, offer him words of wisdom and solace. Order Sixty-six took her from him, Darth Véurr took everything he held dear and stood for. She destroyed the Jedi Temple, which was defaced, defiled and corrupted when the Emperor made it his palace and it sickened him. Véurr showed no mercy when she attacked the temple, no one survived, even if someone did, it was very few and what angered him, was that the Younglings were not spared. The Clones shot them down, Véurr cut them down like they were nothing, they were children! They were defenceless! There must be no heart in Véurr, she doesn't have one, she's just a monster, a soulless monster and the Emperor's loyal, ruthless attack dog. Lady Véurr did indeed carry out further massacres as if _Operation Knightfall_ did not sate her bloodlust. He didn't understand, after everything that happened, how can Fulcrum still trust these Clones? Even if they helped her escape. Why were the Jedi not forewarned about these biochips in the Clones' brains? Biochips that make them as obedient and mindless as battle droids. Who knew about these control chips? Kanan then, felt his Force bond tingle, it was Ezra, standing behind them.

"What do you want, Ezra?" He sighed, "Don't want to talk to the Clones anymore?" Ezra could hear the bitterness in his Master's voice, which sounded foreign to him. He never thought Kanan was the type to even hold a grudge, except… he feels he doesn't really know Kanan, nor the person he was before the Empire. What was his real name?

"They're Katooni's friends, Kanan. Why are you being so hostile?",

"Because they killed the Jedi! They killed my friends, ransacked the Jedi Temple, the only home I grew up in!" He shouted, causing the Lothian to flinch, "I watched as my battalion turned on us. I was told to run by Master Billaba, that she would be behind me, she lied! I heard the blasters being raised and they gunned her down with no mercy." His voice almost cracked with sadness recalling what the Clones, whom he saw as friends did to her. "SHE LIED TO ME!" Ezra rushed towards Kanan, locking him in a hug, which the former Padawan did not object to, he needed to feel. The Order Sixty-six survivor held his Padawan tightly, pouring himself out as his tears stained Ezra's shoulder; letting himself truly grieve those he has lost and himself. Fourteen years ago, the day the order was given to execute the Jedi, the day the Galactic Empire came to power, that was the day Caleb Dume died and from the ashes of death, like the Phoenix, arose Kanan Jarrus; the leader of The Ghost Crew, a rebel of the Alliance and he vows to lift the oppression the Empire pins the galaxy down on. With combined efforts, the Emperor will be removed from power, as well as his right-hand servant, his enforcer: Darth Véurr. As Ezra held Kanan to let his emotions pour out, emotions he bottled up for so long, neither noticed Slip watching the scene behind them, a small smile curling his lips, yet his eyes read sympathy for the Padawan of the fallen Jedi Order. The Great Jedi Purge left scars in everyone, it has affected them all differently, Slip understood Kanan's hostility, but in Slip's perspective, he will never understand the pain of having to shoot your brother, brother-in-arms and comrade; whom he fought beside with for three years. Each and every bolt of plasma he fired that aimed true slowly broke him to pieces, in the end, his brothers became no better than droids, devoid of emotion and free will. They were just mindless flesh droids created to betray.

 _"I'm sorry for the pain my brothers have caused you."_ He apologised mentally, then leaving the Master and Padawan alone, to themselves, not wanting to disturb their bonding moment together.

_ Zeb and Bomber… _

Zeb, or going by his full name: Garazeb Orrelios, who was once a Lasat High Honour Guard, a Captain on the planet of Lasan and is expertly trained to wield a weapon known as a Bo-rifle. He was born in 44 BBY, 3233 Lothal Year; sticking to the BBY format, twenty-two years prior to the beak out of The Clone Wars, when The Galactic Republic announced it was going to war against The Confederation of Independent Systems. This would make him the oldest of the team, at thirty-nine years old, no, he never told them how old he is, otherwise, the Lasat will never hear the end of it. The rise of the Empire caused its trauma on individuals in various ways and for Zeb, was being one of the few to survive an assault on his homeworld by the regime; in fact, it was Darth Véurr's battalion that attacked his home: Véurr and The 332nd, often called by the public: Véurr's Hunters. Despite the bravery of his men, their defences and offence weren't enough for the effectiveness and brutality of the battalion, their population was reduced, close enough to eradication and extinction. No one was spared, men, women, children and he even watched Véurr cut down the pregnant. Being the survivor of such a deadly assault, it sparked deep anger and hatred within Zeb and ever since joining the rebellion, he vowed for the good of his people and to honour them, that he will help bring down the Empire. Anyways, Zed was grumbling under his breath at Bomber, as he carried his equal weight of Joopa meat, Joopas are giant, subterranean worms that prefer to stay underground, yet attack their prey from below with their wide, gaping jaws. It turns out Joopas have a taste for Lasats, they seem to be a delicacy for the creature, which was why Zeb had the unfortunate moment of being live bait. It will take him a while to give an apology to the ARC Trooper, who was grinning at the catch for today. The two are now walking back to the AT-TE, while internally praying no one murdered each other in their absence.

"You should have told me Joopas have an appetite for Lasats like me!" He grumbled,

"Ah cheer up, lad! The plan worked and we got a great catch!" Bomber said far too happily. Zeb began to wonder are ARC Troopers sane? How did General Tano put up with him?

"How in the Corellian hells did your General put up with you?",

"Easy, she was just as crazy. That's what happens when she spent nine years training under General Skywalker as a Padawan." Bomber then looked away, as if he is looking back on the past. "Tano and I spent a lot of time tinkering with objects, making new or improving traps; some of which you saw me use. A few are of Tano's design, I still have some of her schematics on a hard drive." Then Zeb's ears limped down, seeing his new friend look suddenly sad, maybe looking at the past is still painful.

"You miss her, don't you, Bomber?",

"The Clone Wars may have been hard but… my battalion, we were family, brotherhood. We welcomed General Tano with open arms once she earned her spot and so did Commander Katooni. When she left… Tano looked so defeated, her heart shattered and my brothers… we were… lost." Bomber told him, opening up his insecurities and secrets, which he kept to himself from his friends: Slip and Wolffe. "I'm glad Katooni is alive and aiding the rebellion, some connection to Tano is still alive through her, but for Tano herself… I hope she is at peace, I hope her death was not in vain. Promise me, promise me you and the rest of Ghost Crew will keep an eye on my Commander. I can't afford to lose anyone else.",

"I will uphold that promise, an Honour Guard's word." Zeb smiled, with a sense of genuine in his voice and the veteran ARC Trooper could tell his promise will be kept. The Empire took away those he cared about, he will not lose any more and wishes but nothing for the death of Darth Véurr. After their brief conversation, Zeb and Bomber picked up the pace to return to the AT-TE with today's catch.

_ Back On The AT-TE… _

( _Scene: Inside AT-TE, Salt Plains, Seelos, Outer Rim, Galaxy-38_ )

While the rest of Ghost Crew were talking to Slip, Wolffe decided to slip out to the cockpit of the modified AT-TE to simply sit down and reflect. It scared him to think so much has changed in fourteen years, life here on Seelos was both comfortable and boring, a planet that didn't have the Empire breathing down its neck. It's new, official army: Stormtroopers are now enforcing the law, along with the Emperor's attack dog Lady Véurr. He heard from many she's a Togruta, there's been speculations and rumours about her past, some think she was by the Emperor's side the whole time, others believe she was once a Jedi and turned her back on the Order. Wolffe prays that… that thing, this soulless being is not Jedi General Ahsoka Tano, but she died fighting to defend her home with the other Jedi. There is no way, not in a million years that she would betray her own Order, slaughter the Jedi, all the Younglings, it's not her. Wolffe knows the crazy General, the former Padawan of General Skywalker, he would never let her fall this low, Tano doesn't have an evil bone in her body, she lives and breathes for the Republic; she cares for those she loves. After the whole fiasco of Katooni's false trial, in which the Jedi Order was pressured to hand her over to The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) to detain and hold her for a military tribunal, even that was a load of cod's wallop and she didn't have legal representation until Senator Amidala stepped in on her behalf. The senator of Naboo firmly believed that Tano's Padawan did not bomb the temple hangar, that everyone had the wrong Jedi. It was proven true when General Tano entered at the second-last minute with the true culprit in arms, surrounded by Temple Guards: Jedi Knight Petro. Despite everything she did, Katooni still left, leaving Tano hurt and of course, his friendship with the Togruta entered rocky grounds because it was him who brought Katooni back into GAR custody; he stunned her with his DC-17, finding her in a warehouse with a stack of nano-droids. After Katooni's departure, it was clear to him Tano was changing, it looked as if she was becoming more mentally unstable, vanishing at late nights, drinking; incoherently muttering something about broken promises, never trusting again, but they were all drunken slurs. Tano never even remembered what she said the night before, except waking up with a pounding headache, it took her old Master to snap out of it and get herself back in order for not just the sake of the Jedi, not the Republic, but for her friends, battalion and Katooni herself. The Commander was like an anchor for the famous General of The 332nd, Wolffe saw there was more than just mentorship between them, those two were siblings, sisters and even despite the three-year age gap, Tano had this maternal protectiveness over her Padawan. His brain recalled back to the mission to take over a Separatist base on the planet of Felucia, again, it fifteen years ago.

_"Little Gods! Is it that far back already?"_

_ **Fifteen Years Ago…**_

_**Year: 20 BBY…** _

**Canon: The Trandoshan Hunt Arc; _Star Wars - The Clone Wars_**

( **Flashback** / ** _Scene: Clearing, Felucia, Outer Rim, Galaxy-38_** )

 ** _"Not good enough! Fan out and search again!"_** ,

**General Tano's demands echoed through the minds of every scouting team sent out from The 332nd, 501st Legion and 104th. Commander Wolffe and his team searched the perimeter, for the twentieth time, where fellow Commander Katooni was last seen, as reported by the squad of Shinnies she was with. How can she just disappear!? General Tano is being somewhat… difficult, she refuses to leave this planet until her Padawan or signs of her are found. General Skywalker and Plo are trying to get to come around that her Padawan is not on this planet and they need to leave, they're already overdue because of her insistence. It's official, Wolffe hates Felucia, as does everyone. Captain Slip and Akul Squadron are searching tirelessly like predators hunting prey, they don't mess around with using the name Akul, the most fearsome predator of Shili. The 104th Commander was broken out of his thoughts when he heard Jester call out to them. Wolffe and his team sprinted to the soldier of The 332nd, finding him near the base of the wall they searched away from. They found Jester kneeling, holding in his hands a pair of silver hilts: Commander Katooni's lightsabers.**

**"Look here." He pointed, his hand trailing along what appeared to be dirt marks in the trail like someone dragged her across the ground. "Someone or something dragged her away." Jester concluded. It was Sergeant Edge's (CT-11-7387) turn to speak when he found more clues as to what happened to the Commander.**

**"On the wall!" Wolffe and Slip looked, there appears to be some kind of pins on the wall and are recently used. Edge put his hand to them, they were still warm. "Electronet used not too long ago. Two or three hours ago, four at maximum. That would have knocked out Commander Katooni." Wolffe's gut was twisting, did someone kidnap the Commander? He looked down and saw the last clue, a vital one: a footprint. He knelt down to examine the shape, it was almost the shape of a humanoid reptile and Wolffe knew one species. Oh, Little Gods, this is not good, not good at all.**

**"What is it, Wolffe? Talk to me brother." Slip urged, who was equally worried for his Commander, whom he grew fond of.**

**"Trandoshans." He growled under his helmet. "A reptilian-humanoid species from Trandosha. They kidnap people for ' _the thrill of the hunt_ '. They took Commander Katooni, to hunt her for sport!" He noticed Slip almost wanted to take off his helmet and throw up, this has to be the sickest mindset he has ever heard of; hunting living beings for sport, to mount their heads on a wall. "How do we tell General Tano?",**

**"We don't." Slip sighed, "If we tell my General in the current state she is in, she'll go berserk! Second, we don't know where their hunting grounds are! Trust me, Wolffe, it's best if General Tano was not told, she has a… a tendency to go over the rails when something happens to Commander Katooni." Slip recalled the tale when the General went off at her Padawan for fighting General Grievous, it's something they all want to forget. Wolffe slumped his shoulders, not liking Slip lying to his General, but if it is for the sake of her sanity, then he'll follow through. He let out of reluctant sigh of his own.**

**"I'll go with your plan, Captain. You know General Tano best, at least tell her we found the Commander's lightsabers." He told Slip and they all began to make their way back to the transport ships, with the sabres in tow, safely secured to Jester's hip. _"Wherever you are, Little One, please come back alive."_**

( **Flashback Ends** )

Wolffe was brought back to the present when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. The gruff Commander turned in his seat, to meet a Mandalorian in colourful armour, she didn't have her helmet on and her hair was dyed, it was quite nice actually. If his memory is correct, that must be Sabine Wren, she took her place beside him, leaning against the console.

"A credit for thoughts?" She smiled at him. The rise in power of the Galactic Empire hurt Sabine too. Her people, the Mandalorians, a proud race of warriors, now they are forced to serve the Empire, which is further supported by pro-Imperialist Mandalorians; another clan called Clan Saxon. Sabine had to leave because her home became too dangerous, but she promised her family that she will return, strong enough to lead an uprising against the said clan and free Mandalore.

"Lost in old memories." Wolffe replied fondly, "Some good, some bad and some in between.",

"You miss the old days, don't you Wolffe?" Sabine gently probed, knowing the veterans are dealing with PTSD in their own way.

"Those times were hard, but they were good. I miss my men, I miss General Plo." The Commander of the now lost Wolfpack Squadron leaned forward in his seat, holding his head. "I didn't remove my chip till shortly after Order Sixty-six. I shot my own General down. I killed my General and I held him in such high regards." He was trying to fight his tears, realising what had done after the order was lifted, it broke him. Wolffe defected as quickly as he could before he could be reinstated into the Stormtrooper army. "Tano died hating me, I'm sure she did. I was the one who brought her Padawan in when she was obviously innocent." Sabine placed a gentle hand on Wolffe's armoured shoulder.

"From what I've been hearing about this General Tano, The Huntress, I'm sure she forgave you in the end. She just didn't know how to say it. Tano wouldn't want you to wallow in your guilt.",

"You're right, it's just… on top of that, I've been trying to recover from General Plo's passing too. It's too much, I lost so much in the span of that one order." Said Wolffe, his voice laced with sadness, guilt and even with one eye, Sabine could see… depression, the look of a lost warrior. Then he took out his DC-17, which was set to kill, holding it in his hands. "Throughout the fourteen years, I have tried to kill myself, but time and time again, Slip and Bomber stopped me; gave me reasons to keep on living.",

"I'm glad, Wolffe. That is not the way to end your pain, it would have backlashed onto Slip and Bomber. Tano would want you to carry on living." Sabine supported,

"Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc." Wolffe started, which Sabine instantly recognised and finished the rest for him with a small smile.

"Ni partayli, gar darasuum." And Wolffe began to list a few of those who have passed on into the Force. Then she added another Mando'a phrase, something which she felt was better suited in remembrance of General Tano. Even after everything he went through, Sabine figured Tano was a close comrade, despite the hardships and always will be. In the eyes of the Mandalorian, General Tano would be worthy to bear the Jaig Eyes. "Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la." Wolffe never heard of this phrase, giving the fellow Mandalorian a confused looked. "It means: not gone, merely marching far away.",

"It's a beautiful phrase. I'll remember that, vode." He can imagine Tano's soul marching away with her head held high, marching towards some plane no one understands or can never cross. General Tano is marching to a better place, to be with those who cared for her and is in the company of brothers who are gone too. In the end, seemingly… no one is truly gone, their presence lingers, in some shape or form. The moment being shared between the two Mandalorians was interrupted when Hera knocked on the door, opening it.

"I'm sorry for the disruption, but Chopper contacted me. Another Fulcrum agent who goes by Angel is saying she wants us to send on the intelligence we have to Yavin IV. We need to leave."

_ Two Hours Later… _

After the necessary preparations were made, The Ghost Crew were about to enter their ship after saying goodbye to their new friends, even though Kanan still feels uncomfortable around Clones, he is able to tolerate them; knowing they won't attack him. The scars were actually where they removed their biochip, so he believed those three truly did not follow Order Sixty-six. Commander Wolffe and ARC Trooper Bomber were standing to attention, coming up beside them was Captain Slip and he had a backpack on him, with his helmet underneath his arm, with Jaig Eyes painted on it in burnt orange. He talked it through with his friends, they accepted him leaving this planet, wanting to fight against the Empire for those they have lost, their brothers, friends and Jedi Generals; for a new Republic reborn from the ashes of the Empire itself. The members of Ghost Crew were a little bit confused, Slip just smiled and explained.

"I want to come with you and join your team. An old man like me can still fight." Kanan somewhat wanted to object, but having another member, an experienced fighter is invaluable. Ezra jumped at the chance to have a new member of The Ghost Crew.

"Of course, you are welcome to join!" He then turned to Bomber and Wolffe. "What about you two? You aren't going to come with us?",

"There are some things we need to figure out." Bomber said softly, "We will join you in your hour of need.",

"Take care of our friend and give Commander Katooni our regards." Wolffe said to them while patting Slip's back.

"Will do." Ezra promised and one by one, each Spectre entered the ship. The two Clone Troopers shifted positions, saluting their friends and Captain, who returned it. They watched as the ramp raised itself, closing shut. The two moved back when dust arose from the firing thrusters as _The Phantom_ lifted from the ground and made its way out of Seelos's atmosphere.

_ Three Hours Later…_

_Night… _

( _Scene: Hallway, Chopper Base, Open Plains, Atollon, Galaxy-38_ )

The Ghost Crew with their new member entered the newly built Chopper Base, after landing _The Phantom_  on the landing pad, a place they can now call home and on a planet that the Empire will never find them on. Atollon is a desert planet, but it is far from being devoid of life and the only other living being is a massive creature that calls himself The Bendu and he is apparently Force-sensitive; yet does not align himself to either the Light or the Dark, he is in between, the grey. Turning the corner, there was Fulcrum, Katooni, standing in the hall talking to a rebel, who shortly left after being given a task. Katooni sensed through the Force Kanan, Ezra and the rest of Ghost Crew have returned from their mission. If that's the case, they succeeded in getting the intelligence Angel, another Fulcrum agent who help her set up the intelligence network after finding each other, asked for. The base locations will be vital for the survival and growth of the Rebel Alliance against the Empire, the Emperor and Darth Véurr. What the thirty-two-year-old discovered after assessing Véurr's Force signature through the Force is something she is still denying. It just couldn't be true and she could not bring herself to tell the members of The Ghost Crew. Staring at the Spectres, the group moved apart to allow someone to pass through, someone from her past, someone she missed so terribly during her lonely fourteen years; after fleeing Mandalore. Captain Slip walked towards his Commander with his hands clasped behind his back, still showing a sign of respect to his superior. When they got close enough, Slip couldn't get over that Katooni has grown, she is staring at him at eye level! Eye to eye! Plus, she's wearing armour now and has a new pair of lightsabers clipped to hooks on her hips, at the side of the armour plates protecting her waist and thighs. He can hear General Tano sighing in relief that her Padawan is actually wearing armour! It was Katooni who decided to greet him first.

"Slip." It felt wonderful to hear her voice, it sounded the same, but with an air of maturity to it.

"Commander." He answered, "You got old." Katooni knew he was taking a jest out of her and gamely replied:

"It had to happen sometime, Slip." Before Slip could count to ten, or even five, Katooni wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Slip had no choice but to let go of his arms return it, though he missed her too, so much. It was great to see her after so long being separated and avoiding the Empire, The ISB, especially Darth Véurr and her Inquisitors. "I'm glad you are alive." She choked, wanting to cry,

"I'm glad to know you are as well, vod'ika." He said in a tone similar to when he was comforting her after a hard battle. Turning back to The Ghost Crew, Katooni decided to thank them, she figured Kanan has a distrust towards Clones after his experience, this would have been hard for him, yet it seems things have turned out alright.

"Thank you, for trusting my friend.",

"It… it wasn't easy." Kanan replied meekly, recalling his behaviour towards the Clones, who she saw as friends. He still adjusting to having a Clone around and it will take some time.

"Nothing is ever easy." Katooni wisely replied. Slip smiled behind, seeing as well how much she grew in wisdom too.

_ Sometime Later… _

( _Scene: Rooftop, Chopper Base, Open Plains, Atollon, Galaxy-38_ )

Thirty minutes after dinner, Captain Slip decided to go look for his former Jedi Commander. He searched the entire base, but could not find her anywhere, until Hera told him Katooni has gone up to the roof to meditate. Slip almost laughed at the thought of his Commander actually meditating, she hated it while being trained under General Tano. Slip could not believe how much she has grown, Katooni now stands at the same height as him, it's scary to think of how she changed over the fourteen years. The Clone Captain push his arm up to lift the hatch that allowed him access to the rooftop, there, as Hera said, Katooni sat meditating under Atollon's beautiful night sky. Carefully bringing that hatch back fully, Slip climbed out and closed it as silently as he could, not wanting to disturb her; however, it seemed like Katooni already sensed she had company. Opening her eyes, her blue eyes met Slip's golden-brown pair, they were still soft and caring.

"Care to join me?" She asked him, gesturing to take a place next to her. Unable to deny the offer, Slip sat down next to Katooni, as she leaned against his armour, just like she used to when she was young, when she needed a shoulder to cry on. Slip was often there to support her, if not him, one of the other members of The 332nd or Akul Squadron. "I miss her, Slip." The Captain didn't need to second guess who she was on about.

"I do too, Katooni. I do too.",

"After hearing about her passing, I felt my bond shatter, my mind… it was so empty. It hurt. I was lost." Said Katooni, "However, Ahsoka died fighting to defend the Jedi and our home. She fought valiantly.",

"That I have no doubt about it." Slip agreed. He knows his General, she will not go down without a fight. Sitting together in silence, watching the stars, Slip recalled a song he and his brothers sang when times get tough. It's their own little anthem or hymn, The Clone Trooper's Hymn, they liked to call it. They didn't let many Jedi sing it with them, but within The 332nd, they made an exception for General Tano and Commander Katooni; because they mourned with them for the loss of their comrades. There is no better time than to sing it now and who knows, Katooni might still remember it.

[Captain Slip]:

_"Hold on just a little while longer_

_Hold on just a little while longer_

_Hold on just a little while longer_

_Everything will be alright_

_Everything will be alright."_

Unsurprisingly, Katooni figured out quickly what he was singing and joined in too. Little Gods, he missed Katooni's singing voice, she is a good singer and so is General Tano.

[Katooni]:

_"Fight on just a little while longer_

_Fight on just a little while longer_

_Fight on just a little while longer_

_Everything will be alright_

_Everything will be alright."_

Then both the former Captain and Jedi repeated the first five lyrics, singing at the same time. There was a gorgeous harmony between them.

[Captain Slip and Katooni]:

_"Hold on just a little while longer_

_Hold on just a little while longer_

_Hold on just a little while longer_

_Everything will be alright_

_Everything will be alright."_

And in both their minds, they imagined General Tano, Ahsoka Tano singing beside them, even though she sang one line. They both know it is just their imagination, but it feels like she is truly there, standing behind them, smiling warmly.

[Imaginary Ahsoka Tano]:

_"Fight on just a little while longer."_

_ Meanwhile… _

( _Scene: Meditation Chamber, The Hunter, Super Star Destroyer, Orbiting Lothal, Outer Rim, Galaxy-38_ )

Inside the privacy of the meditation chamber, which no member of the crew onboard is permitted to enter on the Executor-class Dreadnought, gifted to the General, the Emperor's right hand, below the personal ship of the Emperor which is known as _The Eclipse_ ; only one constructed due to the amount of materials needed to build it. _The Hunter_ , which the Executor-class Star Destroyer is named, is a powerful ship, many would turn away in fear at the sight of it and its heavy firepower, boasting more than five-thousand turbo lasers and measuring nineteen-thousand metres long. She is a sight not to be trifled with. The General of the ship sitting inside the chamber is Darth Véurr, the room was quiet, the only sound that can be heard filling this room is her respirator. Her humiliating defeat against Skywalker on the planet of Mustafar was the reason she is now in this walking tomb, a shell, this suit. It's the only thing keeping her alive, Véurr has become more of a machine than anything else, she can't even bring herself to say she is still a Togruta. Skywalker used Mou Kei on her to sever three of her limbs, her left arm and both her legs straight through the knees, during her operation; which was more like her reconstruction, Sidious wanted her last flesh arm amputated. The entire surgery was without anaesthetic because her Master ordered the medical droid to do so, Véurr had to endure the pain of the whole procedure, even when her arm was amputated. The voice system in this suit was built in to accurately analyse her heavily damaged vocal cords that can still vibrate somehow, inhaling the ash caused severe damage; it's why her voice sounds so robotic. Darth Sidious wanted to teach her pain, pain is an emotion of the Dark Side, it also shadowed her punishment, he was disappointed in her, because her arrogance led her to this fate. The Dark Lord of the Sith transformed her into a cyborg, the imperial machine of the Empire, a monster and she hated Skywalker for putting her into this suit for the rest of her life. The cybernetic technology Sidious gave her were purposely outdated, he could have given her the best, but he did not, more punishment for her failure. Lady Véurr's cybernetic limbs are heavy, she can no longer lift her arms above her head, her movements are much slower and what humiliated her the most, was the fact she had to learn how to wield a lightsaber from scratch; to adapt to the cybernetic arms. As a whole, even the suit itself causes her constant pain, the pins in her mask poke into her face, it is so sore that she has to delve further into the Dark Side to dampen the pain and the entire suit itches. The only time she feels free from her pitch-black, obsidian suit is when she undergoes her routinely dead skin removal that was caused after being burnt alive and being put under the bacta tank to heal her severely burned skin. Her montrals, which she uses to hear were also damaged, it required a delicate operation to restore her hearing, again, with further cybernetic implants. With the cybernetics limbs combined with the suit, it makes her taller, Véurr used to stand at about five foot, when she was twenty, now she stands at seven feet, which is two meters; but she gladly uses the added height as further intimidation on her enemies; liking the feeling of towering over them. She basks in their fear, feeding off it like a leech to make her stronger, some might call it a sadistic way of thinking, but what do you expect from a Lady of the Sith?

Right now, Darth Véurr was taking in the quiet time she has to herself, something she has too much of when her Master doesn't assign her for missions or sends her to hunt down Jedi personally. Her secret Apprentice: Starkiller is not yet ready, so he busies himself with learning the ways of the Dark Side, the art of lightsaber combat. What was surprising to her, he took after her sabre grip: the reverse Shien and is also competent in Form V: Shien/Djem So and taught him Form IV: Ataru. Though Lady Véurr can no longer demonstrate such a style due to her cursed, limiting cybernetics, she is not as a nimble as she once was, before her Master put her into this suit. When the time is right, she and Starkiller will kill Darth Sidious, he will finally earn the name and title: Darth Starkiller, take his place by her side, as she ascends the throne as Empress of the Galactic Empire. For now, her foolish Inquisitors handle the Jedi, but they are weak and an annoyance she had to put up with, along with training them. There are only a few of them left, the Grand Inquisitor is dead, killed by a Padawan of all opponents. These were quickly pushed away, as she turned her gaze at the holo-photo that sat before her, a picture of her wife: Kaeden Larte. The black armoured Togruta caressed her thumb over the holo-photo as if she is lovingly stroking her first and last lover's face. Véurr turned to the Dark Side to protect her, someone was going to kill her, her Master told her that the Jedi had an inkling she was bound to the girl from Raada in matrimony; told her they feared her attachment to her was blinding her ways as a Jedi and planned to kill her, to cut the ties, like they tried to kill Sidious. In the end… it all ended in tragedy, Anakin Skywalker found them both on Mustafar and before she could stop him or block his sabre, he stabbed Kaeden in the back and proceeded to attack her. She fought back in absolute anger, Anakin was married to Padmé Amidala, why was she the one to suffer the consequences!? Why did the Jedi punish her? To strip away the one person who kept her anchored? For fourteen years, Darth Véurr has been using this hatred to fuel her, her anger towards the Jedi, her hatred towards Anakin Skywalker, she has been spreading suffering around the galaxy, to spread her pain; make people understand what she is feeling through physical violence and terror. Upon her awakening, the words she was told by her Master still haunt her:

 _"I'm afraid… you were too late. The Jedi, specifically Anakin Skywalker, killed her."_ ,

 _"No. No! SHE WAS ALIVE! I FELT IT!"_ ,

The galaxy took away the one person she loved the most, now she is taking things from the galaxy and Véurr will not stop until every single person feels and learns her pain. The Jedi, the whole galaxy betrayed her, now she is returning the favour. Retribution never tasted so sweet.

 ** _"Are you really that blind to the truth?"_** A ghostly voice questioned, a voice Véurr recognised. Raising her head, staring with her own eyes, not through a Head-up Display (HUD) and a visor. It couldn't be! How can she be here? It's impossible! A sense of warmth filled Darth Véurr, a warmth she never felt in years since her wife's death at the hands of the Jedi. **_"Look at what you have become! I don't know who you are anymore._** ",

"Kaeden, please!" Véurr begged her voice a little raspier without the modulator, but the voice computer is still functioning. "I'm still that same person you have always loved. Look deep inside, past the suit, this shell." Her wife shook her head, looking so sad but with an air of disappointment and despair.

 ** _"All I see is a monster and a child killer. Sidious has warped your memory, what you remember of Mustafar is lies!"_** Feeling her anger spike, Lady Véurr was about to argue back when the door behind her opened. It must be urgent because no one dares to enter her chamber without her mask on, thank small mercies her back is turned; so all the officer can see is her greyish-white and dark-blue, almost black lekku with visible, black veins marring the surface. For a practitioner of the Dark Side of the Force, the teachings of Bogan through their Sith Masters, it is the obvious signs of Dark Side corruption. However, the Dark Side is addicting, it's a narcotic, as well as an illness, Véurr desires more power from it and she has no intention of turning away from it either, not when she is in this deep; mainly because she has nothing else to turn back to. She let the Imperial Officer speak, so she wouldn't have to listen to Kaeden Larte's ghost.

"Mi'lady, the Emperor is ready to speak with you.",

"I will be there." Sensing he was bowing behind her, the officer, one of many staff of The Hunter, exited the chamber; more like wanting to be out of her presence. He felt intimidated by her. Pressing a button at the side, the machines lowered her black helmet over her head, her now slimmed face which looks like it was carved from stone with military precision and feeling the pins stick into her now ashen grey-orange face which is marked with black veins; and like the lekku, her facial markings have taken on a greyish-white appearance. Her entire body is still healing after being burned. The pins are routine to her now, to the point she just doesn't feel them anymore. The HUD in front of her gaze that she sees through switched on, filling her vision with a reddish colour, like looking through a computer; further representing she is a machine. Darth Véurr stood up, turning to leave her meditation chamber and head to her private communication room, she would have kept going until Kaeden spoke out again.

 ** _"He is just using you, ner cyar'ika. You're only a pawn in his sick, twisted game of holo-chess."_** ,

"The game will turn when I kill him. Remember you are the reason I became what I am now." Replied Véurr in an accusing tone,

 ** _"I didn't ask for this, Ahsoka."_** Kaeden answered with sadness in her voice, sadness of the monster the person she loved has become. A terrible price with irreparable consequences and they were taken into never consideration. Lady Véurr used all her willpower to not lash out at the ghost who called her by a name of the person that she destroyed long ago and focused on needing to speak to her Master on more urgent subjects. Behind her, Kaeden Larte disappeared, another attempt to get through to her wife has failed, but she won't stop, Kaeden will trying no matter what. Her wife, her lover, Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano has to be in there, she had to be listening when the mechanic was talking. There's no way the Darkness can keep her buried, she still holds onto hope that Darth Véurr can be redeemed.

Once she entered the communication room, which had a large central long-range transmitter, Véurr's finger pushed down on a button to accept the call by her Master and knelt down out of respect, as Darth Sidious appeared via hologram. The hood he wore covered his face and eyes, only leaving his mouth visible, Véurr kept her head down, waiting for her Lord to give her permission to speak. The only thing breaking the silence was her mechanical breathing.

 _"Apprentice,"_ He greeted, _"What news do you bring, that you have raised as urgent and a threat to the Empire?"_ Knowing he is allowing her to speak, Lady Véurr gave him the direct answer.

"The Apprentice of Ahsoka Tano lives." She revealed, her voice now sounding a pitch higher than normal due to her mask and the built-in voice modulator.

 _"Then you know what you must do, Lady Véurr."_ He said,

"Yes, Master." Was Véurr's reply. The transmission ended just as quickly as it started when Sidious' hologram faded. Standing up again, Véurr decided to go check on her Apprentice, he is not ready to fight, to hunt surviving Jedi; to succeed where the Inquisitors failed, but she can check on his progression. As Darth Véurr exited the room, it was suddenly filled with a ghostly voice, singing, so beautifully and Véurr recognised the tune; echoing the room.

**_"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine_ **

**_You make me happy when skies are grey_ **

**_You'll never know dear, how much I love you_ **

**_Please don't take my sunshine away."_ **

"Kaeden." Véurr muttered softly, but mournfully before leaving the room.

_Fin_

* * *

Mando'a Translation:

Aliit (clan): Family

Ner: My/Mine

Cyar'ika: Darling/Sweetheart

Vod(e): Brother/Sister

Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum: I'm still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal. (Daily remembrance for those who passed on)

Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la: Not gone, merely marching far away. (Tribute to a dead comrade)

Vod'ika: Little Brother/sister

**Author's Note:**

> Did you really think I would let Galaxy-38 be a happy galaxy? Nope, because I'm a horrible writer. You also finally got a cameo of Alternate Darth Véurr and this time, unlike her Galaxy-1 counterpart, she got landed in Vader's suit and is overall depressed and miserable.
> 
> Gold star for anyone who successfully guesses who Fulcrum Agent codenamed Angel is. Can't wait to see your guesses. If you like what you read, hit the Kudo and/or leave a few words.
> 
> Bye!


End file.
